The Esquire reopens

Updated 11:20 am, Friday, April 1, 2011

Pedestrians walk near The Esquire tavern downtown. The bar reopens Friday, April 1.

Pedestrians walk near The Esquire tavern downtown. The bar reopens Friday, April 1.

Photo: JERRY LARA, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Match boxes adorn the bar at The Esquire Tavern.

Match boxes adorn the bar at The Esquire Tavern.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Chris Hill, owner of The Esquire Tavern, reopens the "oldest bar on the Riverwalk" on Friday, April 1.

Chris Hill, owner of The Esquire Tavern, reopens the "oldest bar on the Riverwalk" on Friday, April 1.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

The Esquire reopens

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Yes, today is April Fool's Day but this isn't a joke: The Esquire Tavern reopens today.

The downtown watering hole known for its cheap, cold beer, its array of characters and its rough-and-tumble atmosphere begins a new era, extending the establishment's title as the “oldest bar on the San Antonio River Walk.”

The tavern has undergone renovations for about a year. Owner Chris Hill, who bought the building that houses the bar in 2008, said he wanted to preserve the Esquire's integrity and build on the vibe that made it a cornerstone for San Antonio nightlife.

“What we wanted to do is to keep the best of the Esquire and improve on the worst,” he said.

The plan wasn't to revamp the place from the ground up. Rather, working with various designers, Hill cultivated a bar that stayed true to its roots.

“Our whole goal was to keep that gritty tavern feel that it always had, and make it a little more hygienic,” said Jill Giles of Giles Design. “We didn't want to strip it of its character.”

Before walking into the bar, patrons will notice graphics along the glass doors, displaying various quotes about the Esquire. One mentions the bar opening its doors the year Prohibition ended in 1933. Another next to the front door comes from Chuck Ramirez, a local artist who died late last year. It reads: “If they get rid of the wallpaper, I'm moving out of town.” He'd be glad to know that although the wallpaper is new, it was custom ordered and replicates the original.

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Upon entering the establishment, patrons are immediately greeted by the more than 90-foot-long bar, heralded by Ripley's Believe It or Not in 1988 as the longest bar in Texas. Behind it are a fully functional kitchen, which will serve upscale bar food, and an avenue of beer taps and liquors that could make the driest mouth happy.

“This is probably going to be the most functional bar you'll ever see,” said Jeret Peña, the Esquire's master barman. “When people walk in, I want them to feel welcome. The Esquire was known for the array of different style of people that came in here. Anywhere from judges, lawyers, vagrants, blue collar, white collar. And I think we'll still be able to offer that same feel to the same demographic.”

The majority of the bar is standing-room only and still has the original brass foot railing. The wooden booths that stretch the length of the bar were refinished, and there are now tables in the rear and on the balcony, which overlooks the River Walk.

Hill said the biggest change involved the bathrooms, updated and moved toward the front, near the newly installed elevator, which provides river access.

For the lighting, Hill hired Kevin Randolph, a lighting designer from San Francisco, who said he wanted to build upon the building's historic feel.

“The lighting is an Old World style that fits the building well,” he said. “It's cozy. For the size of this space, it feels very intimate.”

As crews worked to finish the updates, random downtown pedestrians would peek inside, asking when the bar was set to reopen.

Daniel Gallardo was one of the curious. He first visited the Esquire in 1974, when he was 14 years old.

“I was always dressed sharp in my Stacy Adams ready to dance. The deejay would play good music, and I would dance all night. It was beautiful,” said Gallardo, 50.

Every weekend, Richard Casiano would drop in for a drink. He said he learned to keep to himself because some patrons were there for more than a good time.

“Hopefully it's not the same as it used to be, because it was a wild place,” said Casiano, 47. “The key was to steer clear of the bar fights.”

Although Hill said he wants to keep the prices affordable and the crowd diverse, he's confident patrons will tone down the rowdiness.

Either way, Gallardo has his dancing shoes ready.

“It makes me happy this place is opening again,” Gallardo said. “I can't dance like I use to, but if the music's right, you never know.”